CNU letter to Social Sciences Building consultation

Dear all,

today, the 25th of July, is the deadline to respond to the social sciences building consultation that we emailed you about previously. We hope many of you have sent your thoughts to the consultation and we hope you will be heard. However, as you also know, We have written an open letter (see below) from this network to submit as part of the consultation. The letter outlines our concerns with the aim of engaging with Estates and Facilities Management (EFM) in a positive way on this issue. This letter has been submitted today - on the last day of the consultation, and we will keep you up to date with their response.

For now, thank you to all that have signed the letter as of today (40 signatures) and please send us your name if you would still like to add to the signature list below.

Thank you!

Link to consultation with details to the social science building (note this link might expire after the 25th):  http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/efm/estatesdevelopment/projects/social-sciences-building

---

CNU letter

Sustainability of the proposed Social Sciences Hub at the University of Sheffield
 
The University of Sheffield is a dynamic, growing institution at the forefront of research and learning in the UK and worldwide. We, the Carbon Neutral University network and the undersigned, appreciate and support the continual need to update and improve our facilities to maintain this high standard. We also recognise the important role of our many iconic campus buildings, from Firth Court, to the Arts Tower to the best Student Union in the UK, in representing the University community.
We have therefore viewed the current plans for the Social Sciences Hub with great interest and welcome the opportunity to engage with Estates and Facilities Management through the ongoing public consultation.
Several aspects of these plans we have support for. The provision of publicly accessible green spaces, including through pocket parks, will promote biodiversity and allow the building to both benefit and better integrate into its immediate surroundings. Similarly, plans for a sustainable drainage system including rain gardens and swales are very positive.
However we also wish to raise major concerns with regard to the sustainability of this building. While we raise specific queries in response to these plans, our concern and interest in appropriate and ambitious sustainability targets is applicable to development across the University more generally. We hope that this consultation will (a) facilitate clarification and (b) engender an ambitious response to the concerns below.

• No sustainability targets are mentioned in these plans. Such targets are key to ensuring any proposed measures to improve sustainability are maintained throughout construction. Are targets for energy and sustainability currently being considered for this building?
• How will these targets relate to recognised sustainable design standards, such as BREEAM, LEED or Living Building Challenge?  The My Sustainable Campus webpages state “The University of Sheffield has committed to developing low carbon buildings, setting ourselves the ambitious target of BREEAM excellent as a minimum for all new capital projects ─ the most widely used environmental assessment for buildings.”  Is that the case for this building?
• We recognise that some commonly used standards may not always reflect effective and innovative sustainable design, particularly in relation to energy. If EFM feels this is the case, will an alternative, ambitious target appropriate for such a flagship build (such as zero carbon) be set?
• What efforts have so far been made to include carbon positive design features? Is there potential (for example) to develop the use of carbon positive building materials such as timber?
• How has prominent research and expertise at the University of Sheffield, such as that in solar and other renewable technology, and in green roofing, been recognised and incorporated into this design? Could use of this expertise be developed further?
• We support the consideration of renewable energy solutions described in the plans, but would welcome clarification as to what these solutions are and how much they will contribute to the overall energy use of the building.
• Finally, in plans to improve traffic flow and pedestrian access in the Northumberland Road area, how have the needs of cyclists been considered?

The precedent for sustainable, low or zero carbon University buildings exists across the University sector. At the University of Nottingham, the Jubilee campus features green rooves, photovoltaic cells and passive ventilation. The striking Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia achieved the Passivhaus standard and also makes extensive use of renewable energy.  
Setting and meeting aspirational sustainability targets will enable this building to be forward-looking and competitive. We hope the Social Sciences Hub will reflect our leading research in sustainability and serve as a flagship for both the campus and the ethos of the University community.

We look forward to your response.

Signatures

1. Alasdair Cochrane, Senior Lecturer, Department of Politics
2. Andrew Merson, Undergraduate, Department of Mechanical Engineering
3. Fionn Stevenson, Professor, HoD, School of Architecture
4. Stephen Folkes, Undergraduate, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
5. Nick Nuttgens, PhD Student, School of English
6. Lenny Koh, Professor, Management School
7. Hamish Cunningham, Professor, Department of Computer Science
8. Aldous Everard, Business Development Manager, Sheffield Solar, Physics and Astronomy
9. Matt Watson, Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography
10. Adam Howard, MSc student, Centre for Alternative Technology/ University of East London
11. Paul Jarman, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biomedical Sciences
12. Briony Norton, Postdoctoral Researcher, Dept Animal and Plant Sciences
13. Philip Warren, Professor, Dept Animal and Plant Sciences
14. Kiran Malhi-Bearn, Sustainability officer, Sheffield Student’s Union
15. Liam Ratcliffe, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Chemistry
16. Eleanor Absalom, Undergraduate, Department of Geography
17. Christian Unger, Grantham Research Fellow, Faculty of Science
18. Christopher Baines, Undergraduate, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences
19. Kathryn Aston, English Language Teacher, English Language Centre
20. Melanie Hannah, Departmental Manager, Department of Biomedical Sciences
21. Rachael Treharne, PhD Student, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences
22. Joe Hook, Undergraduate, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
23. Lizzie Jewitt, Undergraduate, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences/ Department of Geography
24. Juliet De Little, Undergraduate, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
25. Gwen Welsh, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Geography
26. Emily Vincent, Undergraduate, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
27. Hayley Stevenson, Reader in Politics and International Relations, Department of Politics
28. Holly Lawford-Smith, Research Fellow, Department of Philosophy
29. Danial Sturge, Policy Assistant, Green Alliance and PhD Alumni, Mechanical Engineering
30. Adam Picot, staff, English Language Teaching Centre
31. Sian Morrey, staff, English Language Teaching Centre
32. Joanna Sutcliffe, English tutor, English Language Teaching Centre
33. Ruby Lee, undergraduate, Department of Philosophy
34. Fiona Graham, PhD Student, Human Nutrition Unit
35. Jenny Patient, Campaigns Worker, Sheffield Climate Alliance
36. Jamie Gough, Senior lecturer, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
37. Hannah Sewell, PhD student, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences
38. Monica Ortiz, PhD student, Department of Geography
39. Richard Bradford, English Language Tutor, English Language Teaching Centre
40. Megan Lewis, Business Development Manager, Sheffield Science Gateway
41. Lauren Jones, Sheffield Climate Alliance committee member and National Campaign Against Climate Change steering committee member
42. Sarah Boddy, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biomedical Science
43. Steve Jubb, PhD student, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
44. Cilla Hollman, English Language Tutor, English Language Teaching Centre
45. Michael Livingstone, PhD Student, Department of Landscape
46. Fay Rodrigues, English Language Tutor, English Language Teaching Centre
47. Deborah Cobbett, English Language Tutor, English Language Teaching Centre
48. Richard Bradford, English Language Tutor, English Language Teaching Centre
    
49. Sharon Oliver, Director of Engagement and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health